What Is Ringworm Disease? What Causes It?

Ringworm disease, known in medicine as alopecia areata, is the sudden loss of a person's hair or other hairs such as beard, eyebrows, eyelashes in a short time. When it occurs on the scalp, it manifests itself in bald areas that can be easily recognized from the outside with its oval or round shape. After a certain period of time, hair grows in balding areas, but ringworm disease mostly occurs in young people. Between 70 and 80 of every 100 people affected by the disease are under the age of 40.

What Causes Ringworm (Alopecia Areata)?

Unfortunately, the exact cause of ringworm disease is not known. However, it is thought to be caused by autoimmune causes. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body recognizes its own tissues and cells as foreign. As a result, the immune system attacks the person's own cells. In ringworm, immune cells attack the hair follicles, stopping hair growth and causing hair loss.

According to studies, ringworm has been found to be associated with genetic factors. The child of a parent who has had ringworm disease is also very likely to have ringworm disease. Some diseases are seen with ringworm, these diseases are as follows…

Eczema, psoriasis, hay fever, vitiligo, lupus, Addison's disease, chronic inflammation of the thyroid disease. In addition, weak immune system, stress, drugs used and atopic allergic asthma cause this disease.